Rising oil prices and increasing environmental awareness in recent years have fuelled a demand for more efficient high speed marine transport. A large division exists between slow speed, efficient marine transport and faster, less economical modes of moving cargo such as aviation. Although high speed marine vehicles are currently in operation they suffer from the effects of lower efficiency and an inability to carry large payloads due to the required power to weight ratio.
When used for the carriage of passengers, high speed marine vehicles also have the disadvantages of reduced seakeeping abilities. Current high speed vessels have higher dynamic loadings and larger accelerations, which often limit their operation to conditions of less severity. This reduces the reliability of service of these vessels and often restricts them from operation on large open water routes.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hull for a marine vessel with improved seakeeping and resistance characteristics.